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J. J. TOWLE.

FRUIT DRIER.

fiatented Sept. 4; 1883.

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JOHN J. TOWVLE, OF DIXFIELD, MAINE.

FRUIT-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,579, datedSeptember 4, 1883.

Application filed March 20, 1883. (No model.)

- field, in the county of Oxford and State of Maine, have invented a newand Improved Fruit-Evaporator, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention consists of avertical cylindrical case, between which andan inside vertical hollow cylindrical drum there is a spiral flue. inwhich the fruit to be dried is caused to pass from bottom to top severaltimes around the case by pushingthe trays containing the fruit forwardsuccessively from an opening at the bottom, where they are put in oneafter another, to an opening at the top, where they issue from the flue,thefiue being also a passage for hot air from the furnace at the base ofthe case, and the central drum being a chamber in which the products ofcombustion from-the furnace circulate for giving up their heat also tothe drying of the fruit, thus making a simple, compact, and economicaldrier, all as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved drier or evaporator with aportion of the case broken away, and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of oneof the trays employed forpassing the fruit through the drier. Fig. 3 isa perspective View of one of the trays. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, ona small scale, through the drum h, showing the connection of theactuating-lever Z.

I make a cylindrical case, a, of wood or other approved material, exceptwhere the parts are too much exposed to the heat of the furnace, withclosed ends, and having a central drum, 1), extending through it fromend to end and being closed at its ends, except for connectingasmoke-pipe, c, at the bottom and another one, (Z, at the top', and Iset up said case endwise on any suitable foundation, 6,

- and arrange afurnace, f, in suitable proximity to it for discharginghot air from the furnace into the lower end of the case. From anopening, g, into the bottom of this case I arrange a spiral partitionbetween, it and the drum Z), and indicated by the dotted lines 71,

passing several times round the case and rising to the top, where itterminates at i, and has a door, 3', hinged to it to fall down and closethe flue formed by it, in which the fruit is to be passed from bottom totop by trayslc, of suitable approximate triangular form, which are to beshoved into the flue at the bottom through opening g, and pushed al'ongup the flue successively by hand, or by a lever, Z, or other approvedmeans, the trays being put in'and pushed along at suitable intervals oftime to allow the trays to occupy the flue sufficient time in thepassage for the fruit to be dried. The lever Z is supported at its innerend on a pin passed through it and projections of a collar, Z, which isloose to turn upon the pipe or flue c, the lever being arranged belowdrum 1), and projecting into an inclosure, t, back of the opening 9,which inclosure prevents the escape of heat, from said opening g, andaffords a support vertically for the lever and its collar, as will beunderstood from Fig. 4, while the outer end of the lever works acrossthe spiral flue h, through the opening g, and in the slot Z of thefurnace-cap, so that the lever may be freely swung back to admit a tray,70, and then swung forward to force the series of trays upward throughthe flue h, as will be understood from Fig. 2.

The trays are to be mounted on rollers m, to move easily, and they havea dowel-pin, n, on one side and pin-hole 0 on the other, to beself-guiding around the spiral way, and'prevent being crowded againstthe inside of the case.

or slide at the lower end of the spiral flue to regulate the air, and Ipropose to connect the top of the flue, behind the door j, with thesmoke-pipe (Z, by a pipe, 1), and a chamber, q, over the top of thespiral flue, into which There will be a damper or regulating gate thehot air and vapors from the drying-flue escape, to be drawn away by thepipe (Z, which causes the requisite draft through the dryingflue for thedesired circulation therein, and for carrying off the aqueous and othervapors dried out of the fruit,-a damper will be emL- ployed in thepipe 1) for regulating its action. Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In afruit-evaporator, the combination,

IOO

with the cylindrical case a, of the central cytraverse aspiraldrying-flue, and having dowel lindrical drum, 1), between which and thecase n and dowel-hole 0 for self-guides, substana is arranged a spiralpartition, h, extending tially as described. continuon'slyfrom thebottom to the top there-- The combination of a lever, Z, with a dry- 5of, and from the side opening, 9, to the top ing-case having a spiraldrying-flue, snbstan- I 5 opening, '6, closed by the doorj, furnace f,and tially as described.

means for conducting the products of combus- JOHN J. TO\VLE. tion to thecentral drum, substantially as and \Vitnesses: for the purpose setforth. EZEKIEL T. LUDDEN, 1o 2. The trays 7c, constructed and arrangedto MAURICE G. FULLER.

